Image via foxsports.com.au //

For the first time in history…

In news that’s not surprising but still super sad for Victorians, the AFL Grand Final is set to be held at the Gabba in Queensland this year, beating out South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales. It’ll be the first time in 123 years that the game won’t be held in Victoria, as well as the first time it’ll be played at night. The move comes after the severe second wave of COVID-19 that has swept across the state, propelling it into a multi-month lockdown.

Speaking on the decision, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said “If it wasn’t for that strong health response, and the fact that every Queenslander has been part of that, this would not have happened. So, this is a win for Queensland.”

However, there’ll still be significant rules and regulations in place, with the grand final expected to only be played in front of 30,000 spectators instead of the usual 100,000. But if Queensland ends up not being viable due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Adelaide Oval is the current backup.

The final start time is yet to be confirmed ,but AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has confirmed it’ll be taking place on October 24.